BANGKOK – It has been one week since the contentious incident that prompted many Thais, including officials, senators, political party members, and celebrities, to wear purple shirts to express their love and support for HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.
The remark came after Miss Tantawan Tuatulanon, or Tawan, and Mr. Natthanon Chaiyamahabut, or Frank, two monarchy reform activists, honked the car at Princess Sirindhorn’s royal motorcade on February 4 and shared a VDO video of the incident on Tawan’s social media, igniting the Purple Phenomenon.
Tawan, 20, announced on social media that she would be holding a press conference about this incident at the Siam BTS Skytrain station in the middle of Bangkok on Saturday, February 10.
During her apology for her reckless driving, which may have endangered other cars, the ultra-royalist group screamed insults, causing Tawan’s group to become dissatisfied and leading to an altercation and physical fight. Although the Pathumwan Police Station attempted to stop the fight, it was unsuccessful. This results in injuries on both sides.
Violence between the right and left
Following that, most politicians, including Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and Move Forward Party chief advisor Pita Limjaroenrat, expressed their disagreement on violence and urged people to be calm and find a common solution.
However, there was a tense moment in parliament when Deputy Interior Minister Chada Thai-saed was outraged after being criticised by Move Forward Party MP Rangsiman Rome for recently using the words “ungrateful to the motherland” to criticise Tawan. Rome also showed a photo of Chada with some ultra-royalists who attacked Tawan’s group at BTS Siam Skytrain Station over the weekend.
Chada slammed his opponent as unmanly and unpleasant, and he also chastised the person who presided over the meeting that permitted the picture revealed in parliament to be used against him.
Meanwhile, at least four political parties, such as the Bhumjaithai Party, the United Thai Nation Party, the Palang Pracharath Party, and the Chart Thai Pattana Party, held activities or symbolic expressions of wearing purple shirts.
Army Chief Gen. Charoenchai Hinthao on Friday urged Thais to send a loud message that it’s unacceptable to try to block the royal motorcade of HRH Princess Sirindhorn. He said it’s inappropriate, and people need to have consciences.
Nothing changes with Tawan’s explanation
Tawan herself provided an explanation on Facebook again on Monday, February 12, claiming that she was nowhere near HRH Princess Sirindhorn’s royal convoy when her car was recently blocked and that she did not drive dangerously by the King’s sister car as some local news reported.
She added that she was speeding before her car was blocked around the Victory Monument by police, which led to her asking the officer about such a necessity as she has a business to attend to as well.
However, her message has not been effective enough to persuade many others, and there has been hate speech against her. She has also received internet threats of harm. One social media user suggested that she be thrown from a skywalk.
Tawan and Frank were arrested in front of the Criminal Court late Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 13, for blocking the motorcade of HRH Princess Sirindhorn by honking, according to the police. The police also seek to revoke Tawan’s bail on previous charges, including lese majeste.
Another activist, Nophasin Trirayapiwat, commonly known as Sai Nam, was detained with them for spraying paint on the wall of Wat Phra Kaew, but he was the only one granted bail.
Tawan and Frank have been in detention for at least 12 days while staging a hunger strike.
Two journalists were also arrested
Another event that happened at the same time was that two Thai journalists, Nutthaphol Meksobhon, a reporter for the independent online media Prachatai, and Natthapon Phanphongsanon, a Spacebar news agency photographer, were arrested for reporting on the vandalism that occurred when Sai Nam was spraying paint on the number 112 with a line through it on the exterior wall of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Grand Palace, last year.
According to the Associated Press, the Royal Palace police station said they were charged with collaborating in vandalising a historical site. The offence is punishable by up to seven years in prison and a 700,000 baht ($19,600) fine.
The two arrested men, who got bail after posting a bond of 35,000 baht ($980) each on Tuesday, have said they were only carrying out their jobs as journalists.
Amnesty International Thailand director Piyanut Kotsan called the arrests a “direct violation of media freedom.” The Thai Journalists Association said the charge of acting in support of a criminal act undermines the rights and freedoms of the media in performing its duties.
However, the Spacebar has suspended the charged photographer, Natthapol, for 5 days to investigate the truth.
In a statement issued by the news agency, the agency said it didn’t assign Natthapol to cover the protest, and the “wall of the Emerald Buddha Temple,” which is part of the Grand Palace Compound, is a “sacred space,” thus the graffiti “hurts the feelings of Thais.”.
The news organisation reiterated its impartiality and said Natthapol had used his journalist status “to serve his personal political stance.” It added that it supported the “democratic system with the King as Head of State.”
Wear yellow on Monday
Prime Minister Srettha said his government upholds the importance of media freedom, but it’s up to security officials and the police to investigate whether the journalists committed any crimes.
He also stated about the safety of the royal motorcade that it is of paramount importance and no one should support or encourage any action that could put the motorcade at risk.
PM Srettha has not yet worn the purple shirt; instead, he has worn the yellow shirt and requested that cabinet members and officials from all government agencies wear yellow every Monday in honour of the King’s forthcoming sixth cycle or 72nd birthday anniversary on July 28.
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